Key result
Lower grip strength in female rheumatoid arthritis patients was significantly associated with frailty, with cut-offs of 17 kg (without finger/wrist symptoms) and 14 kg (with symptoms).
Why the study?
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis often exhibit finger or wrist joint symptoms and reduced grip strength, creating a need to validate grip strength as a measure of frailty in this population.
Does grip strength accurately measure frailty in female rheumatoid arthritis patients?
Cross-Sectional (n=424)
Yes
Does grip strength accurately measure frailty in female rheumatoid arthritis patients?
Effect estimate: OR 0.92 (95% CI 0.89-0.96)
Grip strength is a valid measure of frailty in female RA patients, but the diagnostic cut-off should be lowered from 17 kg to 14 kg in the presence of finger/wrist joint symptoms.
Lower grip strength was associated with frailty in female RA patients; supports symptom-adjusted cut-offs but leaves open prospective validation before practice change.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients often exhibit finger/wrist joint symptoms and reduced grip strength. This study aimed to validate grip strength as a measure of frailty in RA patients. Subjects were 424 female RA patients (mean age±standard deviation, 66.8±14.5 years). Frailty was defined as a score of ≥8 points on the Kihon Checklist (KCL). Finger/wrist joint symptoms were defined based on tender or swollen joints. Associations between frailty and grip strength were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and multivariable logistic regression analysis. There were 179 subjects with frailty (42.2%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that frailty was significantly associated with grip strength independently of finger/wrist joint symptoms. In ROC curves, cut-off scores of grip strength for frailty in subjects without and with finger/wrist joint symptoms were 17 kg (sensitivity, 62.1%; specificity, 69.0%) and 14 kg (sensitivity, 63.2%; specificity, 73.0%), respectively. The results of the present study suggest that grip strength in female RA patients is associated with frailty, with a cut-off score of 17 kg (equivalent to Cardiovascular Health Study criteria, <18 kg) when RA patients have no finger/wrist joint symptoms. However, when RA patients have finger/wrist joint symptoms, measures other than grip strength such as lower limb function should be considered.
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Sobue et al. (2022) conducted a cross-sectional in Rheumatoid arthritis (n=424). Grip strength was evaluated on Frailty (Kihon Checklist score ≥ 8) (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.89-0.96). Lower grip strength in female rheumatoid arthritis patients was significantly associated with frailty, with cut-offs of 17 kg (without finger/wrist symptoms) and 14 kg (with symptoms).
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